Finance Controller at Publicis Groupe

ROLE DUTIES

FORECASTING

• Collate the revenue forecasts from the Client service heads and interrogate to ensure that forecasts are reasonable and realistic and are correctly split between practices, billing categories and firm/likely/INB & TBF
• Prepare the forecasted FTE analysis with input from the Agency MD, Agency Ops, Client service and Agency Talent
• Analyse the forecasted profitability by client and work with the Agency Management team to address non-profitable clients
• Reconcile the payroll costs per the FTE analysis to the Management Accounts payroll forecasts
• Forecast delegated costs and ensure that delegated costs per the FTE analysis agree to the Management Account Forecasts
• Analyse variances vs Commit/previous Forecast

LOCAL MANAGEMENT REPORTING

• Prepare and present monthly client profitability reports and follow up key findings in the reports
• Maintain and monitor the New Business Pipeline report and client health assessment
• Ad-hoc financial analysis for MD
• Monitor monthly spend of delegated costs vs budget
• In collaboration with Agency ops, monitor accuracy and completeness of timesheet recording

HFM REPORTING TO GROUPE IN PARIS

• Monthly actuals reporting to Groupe:
• Checking balance sheet recons to ensure items are cleared promptly
• Checking allocation of house costs in NAV and ensuring relevant accruals are raised
• Prepare analytical review of monthly results and balance sheet
• Review Debtors and creditors age analyses, debit WIP provision, and open PO provisions

REVENUE:

• Complete monthly revenue reconciliation and ensure all necessary take-ups are done/journals are processed so that NAV ties up to revenue recon prior to flash reporting at 12 noon on the first working day of each month
• Monitor retainer billings during each month to ensure that all retainers are billed prior to billing cut off
• Prepare analysis of revenue overs/unders vs forecast by client and revenue type
• Monitor accrued and deferred revenue to ensure cleared on a timely basis
• Approve credit note workflows on Chase provided they are justified

RESOURCE PLANNING

• Using the FTE analysis,  prepare the annual Commit resource plan and monitor actuals vs plan continually so that clients remain profitable even when revenue drops.
• Manage the reforecasting of resource requirements at each new Forecast
• Approve freelance appointments provided these are within budget

JOB MANAGEMENT

• Monitoring work in progress to ensure that:
• No external cost are incurred prior to client approval
• Non-billable costs are written off to Income Statement timeously
• Finished jobs are reconciled and closed promptly
• Perform final check of all jobs marked for closure and send workflow to Resources to close

OVERHEAD COST CONTROL

• Approve delegated cost expenditure prior to spending to ensure that delegated costs stay within budget

BALANCE SHEET & FMC FILES

• Review and approve balance sheet recons and ensure reconciling items cleared quickly
• Approve non-recurring journals, 3- way payroll recons and credit note listings

PAYROLL

• Review and approve monthly payroll prepared by SSC and approve monthly payroll journal prior to processing

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

• Monitor Debtors Age Analysis and ensure effective follow up of overdue balances is being done by Resources

WEEKLY VENDOR PAYMENTS AND ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

• Review weekly payments batches vs supporting documentation and ensure submitted to Resources before deadline
• Review creditors Age analysis and follow up overdue amounts/debit balances

AD HOC

• Co-ordinate with PGA, FMC auditors and Internal audit to provide them with the prework requested, support documentation and explanations required
• Submit monthly input to PGA in order that they can prepare the monthly PiCT report (self-analysis of adherence to Internal control requirements)
• Provide finance training to the Client Service team so that they understand their financial responsibilities in terms of job management, client management and revenue forecasting
• Monitor cashflow and approve early payment requests where necessary
• Monitor performance of the Shared Service Centre and feedback to senior management
• Develop, document and communicate processes to Agency
• General trouble-shooting